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Jute Gets a New Lease of Life

By Francis Mwanza
***Jute, which grows mainly in India, Bangladesh, China and Thailand, has just received a boost with publication of a report labelling it environmentally friendly. Natural fibres, it says, are much to be preferred to synthetics, which can be toxic and sometimes carcinogenic. 'Die news comes on the heels of a bumper production year in India and will be welcome in Bangladesh, which is the world's largest exporter.
AS world concern over ecology rises and lead* to renewed Interest in natural fibres, a Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Intergovernmental group say* jute Is an "environmentally friendly" commodity that could enjoy more "favourable market conditions in the future."
The group, which recently met at lite FAO Headquarters tn Rome, acknowledged the need for further analysis on the environmental impltca lions of jute and kenaf usage a* compared to synthetics.
As part of a Jute promotional campaign an exhibition of articles made from jute from countries such as India and Bangladesh has been running al tlic FAO headquarters.
World production of jute, kenaf and allied fibres, says ihc FAO. is expected to reach
about 3.6 million tons in 1990 91. against about 3.2 million Ions in the previous three seasons.
The increase is being al tribuled to remunerative price*, favourable weather and seed availability.
The sharp rise in produc lion is the result of a bumper crop over 1.6 million Ions Hi India—the- world s largest producer of Jute, and increases in China arid Tliailand tf I I per cent and 13 per cent, respet-Uvely.
According to the UN agency, world exports of jute arc up. with shipments from Bangladesh. Ilie worlds largest exporter, increasing bv over 27 per cent in 1989 90.
Major buyers of Bangladesh jute arc Pakistan. India. Egypt. China and some European Community (EC) countries.
Jute exports are now recovering. says the Group, after falling over Ihc last two sea sons.
World exports of products made from jute and allied fibres declined from 1.149.000 tons in 1986-87 lo 986.000 Nins In 1988-89.
Jute exports to the United States have fallen from 123.931 tons tn 1984 to Just .86,767 metric- Ions in 1989.
US Jute imports from Bangladesh atone by tlic US 1n the same period fell from 95.802 lo 47.345 tons.
EC imports between 1984 and 1988 saw only a slight increase from 233.000 ions to 236.000 tons. In 1989 90. exports from Bangladesh rose by seven per cent and those from India by three per cent.
Uisl year tlic government of India launched the Internal
;pid External Market Assis- . i.incc (IMA and EMA) Schemes lo boost production and marketing of diversified Jute prod nets tn the domestic as well as export markets.
The 1MA scheme provide* market assistance at the rate of 12.10 and 8 per cent. Initially for a block of three years. 1988 89. to 1992-93 on I Ik- sale of specified jute decorative fabrics, carpets. Wan kets. felts. yams and handicrafts.
The EMA scheme envisages market assistance at a uniform rale of 10 per cent on export of Ihc same products specified by the IMA scheme for a period of three years up to 1991-92.
The main compel ition to Jute comes from synthetic materials like plastics which an . by and large, cheaper
Synthetics, however, lime one disadvantage—they arc hardly degradable. With in creasing concern over the environment. and as plastics, especially, coming under fire from environmentalists, ■cheapness" may not be tin-key quality, bill rallwr
"environmental-friendliness". Jute is considered lo lx- biodegradable and pollution-free.
Because flic FAO is putting major emphasis on sustainable agrleulturc. the Intergovernmental group has asked Ilic organhuillon lo undertake an environmental Impact assess-
ment of Jute to analyse Ilie economic and social coMs of cm lmnna-nt.il dcgradatk*u.
Damage lo ihc environment from natural fibers say* a FAO report, wus "relatively limited' as tlic substances imohcrl are bio degradabk-. while those re leased during I lie life-eyrie of
synl la-lie materials arc "toxic • nd some-time* can Hio#-nlc."
Natural fibre* have otlicr environmental advantages.
Tla-tr waste can hr turned into fertilisers, and the jute Micks can Im- used as firewood